Middle School
Panel discussion with local residents of State College PA who are Muslims, discussing their experiences as Muslims. See also link to Atlanta Journal-Constitution at https://www.ajc.com/news/national/muslims-america-the-numbers/tJI0VhrVWDYQ1wCplHjozK/
Bibliography of well-reviewed, award winning and useful books for librarians and educators on Islam and Muslims, a variety of genres and age levels
Story of fencing champion Ibtijaj Muhammad and her struggle as a woman and a Muslim in the high-powered world of Olympic-level competition.
Story of Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist who survived an attack and went on to global renown as a champion for girls’ education
Women’s Rights and Marriage in Islam: This lesson helps students contextualize the film’s content about women’s rights, including those pertaining to marriage and divorce. Students compare Islamic teachings and ideals with the practice of Muslims in various cultural and national settings. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson on the topic.
World History For Us All Era 5 pf the World History For Us All online curriculum features Islamic history, especially in the Panorama lesson in brief form, in Landscape 5.2 Islam and Afroeurasia and 5.3 Consolidation of the Trans-Hemispheric Network, and later eras, such as Landscape 6.7 The Long Reach of the Major Religions include lessons as relevant to pre-modern and modern history.
Beautiful picture book featuring aspects of Islamic tradition, civilization and culture, architecture, and Islamic art in order to illustrate colors. Readaloud by Crescent Room at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UadbtM_5600
Rich resource for cross-over lessons on science, technology and culture. Publishers Weekly: “The books we read, the music we play, the words we speak… all were shaped, at least in part, by Islam,” writes Barnard in this concise and eloquent exploration of the far-reaching influence of Islam over the centuries. Each spread is devoted to a different subject (writing, Arabic numerals, architecture, astronomy, agriculture), while captioned spot art homes in on specific inventions and innovations (the zither, the astrolabe, advanced medical knowledge). Though the focus is on Islam’s manifold cultural contributions, Barnard closes with a chilling reminder of the ways in which 16th-century Europeans, led by Petrarch, worked to claim such advancements as their own and obscure their origins. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
The Geography and Cultures of Muslim Countries: This lesson features hands-on projects for students that help them learn about the Muslim country of their choice. Students collaborate to conceptualize an informational website and television commercial for a given country. Alternatives include preparing a speech at the UN and designing a pamphlet about a chosen country. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson.
The Masjid in the American Landscape: Civic Rights: this lesson focuses on the segment of the film dealing with Muslims seeking to build a masjid (mosque) in Palos Heights, IL. Students explore the relevant civic issues and rights, and consider the role of interfaith dialogue as a means to achieve greater understanding between groups of Americans. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson.
The Sultan and the Saint film by Unity Productions Foundation tells one of the great, lost stories from history. Set in a past period of East-West conflict, it speaks with urgency to our present. Two men of faith, one a traveling Christian preacher, the other the ruler of a Muslim Empire, bucked a century of war, distrust, and insidious propaganda in a search for mutual respect and common ground. It is the story of Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, and their meeting on a bloody battlefield during the period of Christian- Muslim conflict known as the Crusades. Curriculum with extensive lesson plans can be downloaded as a pdf at https://georgetown.box.com/s/pvuoyth1x17o7kqsstbols6wmn0d787g.